Here in Wisconsin, we've just recorded the snowiest December on record. Not just snowy, but its been cold. The high today was somewhere about 9 degrees. The overnight low is going to be something like -4. Not real good weather for road cycling.
I've been consistent though in heading down a couple times a week to Recyclist to ride the CompuTrainer. I think I'm now at 16 rides for a total of 330 miles. Riding a CompuTrainer is never going to replace doing a road ride outdoors. But, during the winter, it sure beats doing nothing. Now tat I have some more significant mileage put in, I am better able to comment on likes and dislikes.
Likes
--You are riding your bike.
Fit is very important. Specitivity in training makes a difference. Riding a stationary bike is never going to be the same as your bike. I'm training on the same bike I've been riding for 10 years and will ride next summer. That is important.
--Variation in Courses.
On a normal trainer, you have to adjust the resistance. On a stationary bike, you get some workout like intervals. the CompuTrainer has you riding real courses, so the resistance is always changing. So you have to shift. You have sections where its easier and sections where its harder. But that is like a real course, so that is good. And since its always changing, it helps combat some of the boredom of riding indoors. There is also a good selection of courses. I've done courses from 15 miles in length to 37 miles in length. Hilly courses and flat courses. You aren't doing the same program over and over again, unless you want to
--Power Meter and Spin Scan.
The science is very good. I've never ridden with power before. But now I am aware of it and can work on it through the winter. So far, I've been able to increase my average power from about 200 watts to 215 watts. I've just started using the spin scan to analyze my pedal stroke, but I am hoping I can improve that too. Overall though, the CompuTrainer is giving me much more information to train with than I've ever had before
-- It makes you work.
In the winter, it seems harder to get in enough training hours a week. I've been doing just 2 training sessions a week, one of 1 hour and one of 2 hours. Since this is all I'm getting, I need that training to be as effective as possible, and the CompuTrainer does well here. The RacerMate website claims that one hour on the CompuTrainer is like two hours on the raod. 'm not sure that is quite true, but it is harder. For one, if you stop pedalling, you don't really cost. So you keep pedalling and you train your legs to keep going at all times. Second, since you are watching your power number on the screen in front of you and riding against a pacer at an average power, when you go down a hill, you have a tendency to go hard to keep that power number up there. In general, since I am usually aiming to keep my average power at some goal, I tend not to slack off while on the trainer. And that is good. That is what I need in the winter
Dislikes
-- The scenery gets a little redundant.
By default, the CompuTrainer comes with three backgrounds--Seattle, Mountains and Desert. It uses these to generate the 3D graphics you see. The graphics are good, but after a while, you've seen it all. One thing they could do would be to include more scenery packs in the default CompuTrainer install. The other technology I am hopeful about is the Real Course Videos. But these are pricey at $100 each.
-- Cost.
A CompuTrainer is $1600, plus the need for a computer with pretty good 3D graphics, and then you probably want some sort of large LCD TV or Projection system to really enjoy it. So a total price tag of probably about $2500 if you want one at home. Fortunately, I can ride at Recyclist, but by the time March rolls around, I'll have seill probably sunk $250 or so into time to ride. As mentioned above, the real corse videos are $100 each. So none of this is cheap. Hopefully, with a little bit of competition out there in the computer based trainers, prices will come down a bit. If the unit can come down to around $1000 and the videos drop down to around $40 or $50, I think the ability to have a CompuTrainer at home is greatly increased.
Overall though, riding the CompuTrainer has been great. I think I have gained a little power. Tonight, I was really taking time to evaluate my riding position as well, and I think there are a few minor adjustments I may try out. And, my real course video should be in soon, so that will add a new element to riding. And for now, that is good, because its not getting any warmer out there.
